The Anatomy of Clay by Gillian Sze #MiniReview

Blurb:Taking off from the Promethean myth of human creation, Gillian Sze’s second poetry collection explores the “anatomy of clay” and the individual as a sentient mystery. At times reflective, instructional, playful, or strange, the first section, Quotidianus, offers observational poems, which recount intimate and ordinary moments often missed, overlooked, or forgotten. Sze tugs at the fabric of habit and amidst the urban mundane finds her subjects in a woman waiting for the bus, a neighbour who talks to his plants, a girl smoking after a storm. The following section, Extimacy, takes a lyrical and confessional turn, veering inwards, dealing reflexively with the materiality of inner life: the self as ingredients, the self as experiment, the self as animal and artist. The Anatomy of Clay finds exceptions in the most prosaic conditions and the ineffable distinctions between people, selves, objects, and histories.

My Rating: 4/5 stars

After reading Panicle (Sze’s latest work that releases this September), I immediately searched for more of her works. I had fallen in love with the way she creates this imagery in your mind, and how she makes you look at everyday occurrences in a new light.

I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I’m not good with poetry. I sometimes think I’m too literal minded for poetry, so I have very few favorite poets. Gillian Sze is one of my favorites because of how intelligent and yet relatable she makes the poems. It doesn’t go over one’s head. If you are looking to appreciate poetry more, Sze will help you with that.